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Old 10-02-2013, 09:29 AM
 
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Exactly what qualifies a building to be classed as "Brutalism"? I do not know all the technicalities. I only know that many people consider the style "ugly" or, at the very least, rather unattractive. But that is probably a subjective judgment. Before I pass judgment on a building that I saw yesterday, I thought I'd get the facts from a few qualified architects. When is a building truly of Brutalism style?

Thank you.
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Old 10-02-2013, 12:32 PM
 
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There is an excellent article on Wikipedia about this. Google "brutalist architecture".

The defining characteristics are the use of heavy looking building materials, often concrete, in a way that emphasizes angular fortess like walls, downplaying any naturalistic /classically inspired or "sleek" designs of previous sky scrapers or public buildings...
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Old 10-02-2013, 12:44 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chet everett View Post
There is an excellent article on Wikipedia about this. Google "brutalist architecture".

The defining characteristics are the use of heavy looking building materials, often concrete, in a way that emphasizes angular fortess like walls, downplaying any naturalistic /classically inspired or "sleek" designs of previous sky scrapers or public buildings...
Ah! I see why I didn't bring up the Wiki article. I was typing Brutalism instead of Brutalist. Shall try again. Meanwhile, thank you for the basics. It would be a "heavy" building then, wouldn't it?
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Old 10-02-2013, 01:55 PM
 
Location: London, U.K.
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Not all brutalist architecture is ugly: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ta...A6mJ0AX6jICABQ
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Old 10-02-2013, 02:08 PM
 
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Thank you. Some of those bring up another question. These tall, glass-covered buildings would perhaps be brutalist?
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Old 10-02-2013, 03:13 PM
 
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Generally sleeker glass building would NOT be brutalist -- the "clean" style is often named for Mies van der Rohe or simply called "Modernist", it is also can be said that the somewhat more ornamented but still modern look of many buildings built as skyscapers belong to the Bauhaus influenced design...

Buildings that have more a "industrial" look that partially expose various parts of the structure or function would be part of the "deconstructivist" movement which is one expression of "post modern" architecture...
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Old 10-02-2013, 03:18 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chet everett View Post
Generally sleeker glass building would NOT be brutalist -- the "clean" style is often named for Mies van der Rohe or simply called "Modernist", it is also can be said that the somewhat more ornamented but still modern look of many buildings built as skyscapers belong to the Bauhaus influenced design...

Buildings that have more a "industrial" look that partially expose various parts of the structure or function would be part of the "deconstructivist" movement which is one expression of "post modern" architecture...

Thank you.
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Old 10-03-2013, 05:00 AM
 
Location: London, U.K.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hazel W View Post
Thank you. Some of those bring up another question. These tall, glass-covered buildings would perhaps be brutalist?
No, the glass buildings are not brutalist though maybe you could say they have brutalist elements, mainly in the concrete cores. Were you referring to the Fort Worth museum? That building is more a traditional Japanese pavilion, but realised in concrete and glass: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mo...&bih=702&dpr=1

It's Ando's concrete buildings that are directly influenced by Brutalism, specificaly Louis Kahn's Salk institute: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sa...&bih=702&dpr=1

And to a lesser extent Le Corbusier's later brutalist buildings:
http://www.almamagazine.com/images/b...orbusier_8.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AQ-cpHU33u.../2172+copy.jpg

There's also a lot of Japanese minimalism in his buildings to, which helps soften them somewhat.

Last edited by archineer; 10-03-2013 at 05:21 AM..
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Old 10-03-2013, 05:13 AM
 
Location: London, U.K.
3,006 posts, read 3,855,866 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chet everett View Post
Generally sleeker glass building would NOT be brutalist -- the "clean" style is often named for Mies van der Rohe or simply called "Modernist", it is also can be said that the somewhat more ornamented but still modern look of many buildings built as skyscapers belong to the Bauhaus influenced design...

Buildings that have more a "industrial" look that partially expose various parts of the structure or function would be part of the "deconstructivist" movement which is one expression of "post modern" architecture...

I disagree, the industrial look is usually referred to as 'high-tech' (i.e. Norman foster, Richard Rodgers.)

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/images/...ianlambot7.jpg
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ll...&bih=702&dpr=1

Last edited by archineer; 10-03-2013 at 05:41 AM..
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Old 10-03-2013, 06:11 AM
 
3,430 posts, read 4,224,241 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by archineer View Post
No, the glass buildings are not brutalist though maybe you could say they have brutalist elements, mainly in the concrete cores. Were you referring to the Fort Worth museum? That building is more a traditional Japanese pavilion, but realised in concrete and glass: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mo...&bih=702&dpr=1

It's Ando's concrete buildings that are directly influenced by Brutalism, specificaly Louis Kahn's Salk institute: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sa...&bih=702&dpr=1

And to a lesser extent Le Corbusier's later brutalist buildings:
http://www.almamagazine.com/images/b...orbusier_8.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AQ-cpHU33u.../2172+copy.jpg

There's also a lot of Japanese minimalism in his buildings to, which helps soften them somewhat.
Thank you. No, after seeing some glass buildings among those posted pictures, I was thinking of the glass office buildings around town. I don't much care for them for any number of reasons - panes blowing out or turning color, among other things. But they just don't have any personality. Buildings should "talk", like any other work of art talks. Does that make sense? I hope so. I know what I mean anyway. Glass buildings are just mirrors reflecting nothing except sun in my eyes.
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